COGNITIVE BENEFITS OF ONLINE GAMING: ENHANCING MENTAL WELLNESS
June 30, 2024THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM OF SCHEDULED TRIBES IN MALAYALAM FILM
*Satheesan, P. V., & **Rajendran, P.
*Research Scholar, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, DDE, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
**Academic Coordinator (Rtd.), Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, DDE, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract
This study examines the representation of tribal human rights in Malayalam cinema, focusing on how films narrate the struggles of indigenous communities in Kerala, India. Through a critical discourse analysis of selected Malayalam films, the research identifies recurring themes such as land dispossession, cultural marginalization, sexual violence, and systemic exploitation. The study highlights how these cinematic portrayals often oscillate between reductive stereotypes and rare but significant efforts at dignified representation. By interrogating the visual and narrative strategies used to depict tribal identities, the paper argues that Malayalam cinema can function both as a site of marginalization and as a potential platform for resistance. Ultimately, this research contributes to broader conversations on media, caste, indigeneity, and social justice in India.
Keywords
schedule tribe, cultural identities, tyranny, empowerment, ethnic minorities, exotic base, superficiality.
References
Banaji, S. (2011). South Asian media cultures: Audiences, representat ions, contexts. Anthem Press.
Gopal, S., & Moorti, S. (Eds.). (2008). Global Bollywood: Travels of Hindi song and dance. University of Minnesota Press.
Kannaki. (2002). A film based on the legend of Kannaki, which explores themes of social justice and marginalization.
Knauth, L. (2016, March 16). Manoj Kana: A voice from the margins of Wayanad. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/manoj-kana-a-voice-from-the-margins-of-wayanad/article8335424.ece
Mohan, P. S. (2015). Modernity of slavery: Struggles against caste inequality in colonial Kerala. Oxford University Press.
Nayar, P. K. (2015). Postcolonialism: A guide for the perplexed. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Ore Kadal. (2007). A film that touches on themes of social inequality and marginalization.
Perumazhakkalam. (2004). A film that tells the story of a tribal woman and her struggles.
Rajadhyaksha, A. (2003). The ‘Bollywoodization’ of the Indian cinema: Cultural nationalism in a global arena. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 4(1), 25–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/1464937032000060195
Rajadhyaksha, A. (2009). The ‘Bollywoodization’ of Indian cinema. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 10(2), 223–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649370902846311
Ramaswamy, S. (2002). The other within: Indian colonial cinema and the making of Adivasi identities. University of Minnesota Press.
Teltumbde, A. (2010). The persistence of caste: The Khairlanji murders and India’s hidden apartheid. Zed Books.
Thanmathra. (2005). A film that explores the lives of tribal communities and their struggles.
The Hindu. (2014, May 7). Tales from the margins. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/tales-from-the-margins/article5985205.ece
To cite this article
Satheesan, P., V. & Rajendran, P. (2024). The struggle for freedom of Scheduled tribes in Malayalam film. John Foundation Journal of EduSpark, 6(2), 41-50.